


Be Here For Me

by mightydeafeningmouse



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Friendship, Gen, Hurt JJ, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, JJ Needs a Hug, John B is a Good Friend, Minor Injuries, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, soft JJ
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightydeafeningmouse/pseuds/mightydeafeningmouse
Summary: Hesitantly, JJ nods and allows John B to lift up his shirt.John B sucks in an audible breath at the sight of the massive bruises that wrap around JJ's ribs. They're a deep shade of red, and John B can see how swollen they are without having to touch them. It looks painful as fuck, and he has no idea how JJ managed to drag himself here.
Relationships: JJ & John B. Routledge, JJ (Outer Banks) & Everyone
Comments: 38
Kudos: 450





	Be Here For Me

**Author's Note:**

> TW  
> \- mentions of child abuse  
> \- injuries (no blood)

It's 20° fucking degrees, and JJ is walking through the freezing rain, hoping beyond hope that John B is home. He can feel himself shaking, his body desperately trying to generate heat. It's no use. His jeans are clinging to his legs like he just went swimming, and he can't feel his feet.

Beneath his tattered, soaked t-shirt, JJ's ribs are littered with bruises. Every breath he sucks in is accompanied by a painful ache.

A gift from his lovely father.

At this point, JJ shouldn't have expected anything less. He shouldn't have gotten hopeful over his dad saying he'd love to have dinner with his son. He shouldn't have thought they could have a nice night together. JJ also shouldn't have burnt the rice, especially because he knew damn well what would happen if he fucked it up. 

But since JJ himself is the biggest fuck up of all, he did burn the rice, and he payed for it.

So here he is, limping to his best friend's front door while blinking back tears. 

Along with JJ's torso, Dad also fucked his knee up. The pain is sharp and unyielding, and it really doesn't help that he just walked all the way here. JJ leans against the door frame, unable to support his own weight anymore.

One arms stays wrapped around his ribs while the other franticly bangs on the door. JJ wants to call out John B's name, but his teeth are chattering too much to get the words out.

 _Please be home_ , he thinks, still knocking.

JJ hears a loud noise from inside the house.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" John B yells, right before the door is ripped open. 

He watches John B's expression shift from annoyance to concern. " _Woah_ , dude, what happened?" 

JJ blinks slugishly, still leaning all his weight against the door frame. The ice cold rain drips down his back.

John B's eyes rapidly scan his body before noticing JJ's drenched clothing.

"Shit, JJ, did you _walk_ here?" He shouts, eyebrows furrowed. "Get in here, c'mon." 

JJ tries to step forward, but his body decides that it absolutely cannot continue without support. He falls into John B, who catches him with a grunt. 

"Holy fuck, dude," he exclaims, trying to hold JJ up the best he can. "Okay, okay. You're good, buddy, I got you. It's okay, just gotta get inside." 

John B takes a step back, forcing JJ to take a step forward. He cries out as his knee takes all his weight.

"Shit, shit, sorry, I'm sorry," John B apologies quickly. He stops moving, noticing how JJ's entire body is trembling. 

JJ whimpers and buries his head against John B's shoulder, arms clinging to his friend. 

"'S okay, I got you," John B shifts JJ's weight, wrapping an arm around under his arms and around JJ's back. He swiftly reaches out with his other hand to shut the door.

"Okay, c'mon, you got this, buddy," John B mumbles, taking a step forward. JJ, leaning heavily on his friend, copies him and hobbles forward. 

"Good, good, keep going," he encourages. "That's it, I've got you."

Slowly, they make it to the couch. 

"I'm gonna let go, okay? You're gonna sit on the couch," John B instructs. He carefully lowers the other boy to the cluttered couch, whispering apologies to JJ, who groans as his ribs get jostled.

"Alright, um," John B runs his hands through his hair, thinking on his feet. "Okay, I'll be back," he assures, then runs to his bedroom.

JJ stays sitting on the couch, the noise of chattering teeth filling the room. His body is still wound up tight, even though he knows he's safe now. He's at John B's house, where JJ _knows_ no one will hurt him, but he's in pain and he's stressed, and no matter how hard he tries, he can't stop himself from tensing up.

He wraps his arms around his body and tries to keep from breathing too deeply.

A moment later, John B comes bumbling down the hall, his arms full of supplies. He dumps everything on the couch beside JJ, pulls up a foot rest, and sits across from the couch.

"Can you take off your shirt? We gotta get you warmed up," John B says, searching through the pile of various items.

JJ reaches for the hem of his shirt, but his hands are shaking so bad that they can't get a grip on the wet fabric. Regardless, he keeps trying until John B's hands appear and help JJ wrangle the shirt off.

John B takes a second to stare at the ugly, deep bruises that have already formed on JJ's sides. 

"Hey," John B murmurs, looking directly at JJ, "I know those hurt, bro, but you need to warm up before I can help." 

JJ nods, water flinging from the ends of his hair. "'K-Ka-ay." 

John B pulls a towel from the pile.

"Head down," he instructs. JJ tilts his head down, and John B rubs his head in the rough fabric, towel drying his hair. 

"Okay, okay," John B mumbles under his breath while taking away the damp towel. JJ watches him riffle through the pile, feeling a little dazed. 

He feels John B grab his foot and prop it up on his thigh, untying his shoe and yanking his sock off. He's a lot more careful with JJ's injured leg, which he appreciates.

John B suddenly sits right next him, getting JJ to focus again. He wraps a thick blanket around himself and JJ's shoulders. 

"I'm gonna give you my body heat," John B says determinedly. He pulls JJ against his own body, wincing when he feels his friend's cold back. 

"I can't - I don't think I can take your jeans off without fucking up your leg," John B explains. "And WebMD says you could go into shock if I submerge you in hot water."

JJ leans into him, resting his head on John B's shoulder. 

"The idea is to warm you up enough that I can put you in the tub and you don't go into shock. So, uh...let me know when you feel warmer." 

"Mhm," JJ acknowledges.

John B gently rubs circles on JJ's back, attempting to spread his warmth. They share a moment of silence before John B speaks up.

"...Was this Kooks, or-"

JJ shakes his head, cutting John B off. 

He doesn't lie to John B. Everyone else will get a story about how he fell by the docks, or tripped down some stairs, but not John B. Not when it comes to his dad. 

Don't get him wrong, JJ loves Ki and Pope with his whole heart, but John B is the only person he trusts enough to be...vulnerable around. JJ doesn't even know why, it's just one of his Rules.

A couple minutes tick by, and John B doesn't ask anymore questions.

JJ has a ridiculously hard time not dozing off, but he forces himself to stay awake. After a little bit of dethawing, as a test, he wiggles his fingers and toes, and is surprised when he feels them moving.

"'M wa-warmer," JJ breaks the silence, picking his head up. His body still shivers, but it's a lot more subdued.

"Okay, um...," John B stands up, pulling the blanket off both of them, the chilly air colliding with JJ's bare chest. 

"Do you think you can get your pants off? 'Cause, I don't wanna move your leg unless we have to," he asks, "but, like, you can go in the tub if you want, I guess." 

JJ bites his lip. Moving around isn't a good idea, and sitting in the tub seems a lot more problematic than just changing clothes. 

"I-I can," he nods. 

"Great," John B mumbles while laying out some joggers and a thick long sleeve shirt on the couch. 

He looks at JJ. "You need help?" 

JJ looks at his hands, still trembling, but he's able to grip stuff now. 

"N-No," JJ croaks. John B nods.

"I'm gonna get you some hot water. Yell if you need, yeah?" He says, already walking to the kitchen.

It isn't easy, but JJ somehow manages to wiggle himself out of his soaked pants without jostling his knee too bad. Slipping his freezing legs into warm, fleece lined joggers feels like a godsend. It actually isn't that hard to get them on. Then JJ tries to pull the long sleeve on, which proves to be the difficult part. 

First, he threads his arms through the sleeves. As soon as he raises his arms, pain blooms throughout his torso.

" _Fuck_ ," he hisses.

JJ takes a deep breath, which he regrets instantly, since it sends a sharp pain through his sides. He lifts his arms up halfway, swallowing his pain as he shoves his head through the neck hole. 

"You good?" John B asks, handing JJ a cup of hot water. 

"Y-Yeah," he responds, sipping the liquid. Warmth blooms in JJ's chest, and he quickly gulps down more. He feels like he's getting warm from the inside out, which is oddly nice. The sudden warmth in JJ's body makes his brain hazy with drowsiness.

John B kneels in front of JJ, his hands unexpectedly grabbing the hem of JJ's shirt. 

JJ, caught off guard, flinches back on instinct.

John B leans away from JJ, holding his hands up. "It's just me, it's okay. Just me." 

JJ lets out a breath. "S-Sorry," he says meekly.

John B shakes his head, "No, I should've asked, I'm sorry. I gotta look at your ribs, that okay?"

Hesitantly, JJ nods and allows John B to lift up his shirt.

John B sucks in an audible breath at the sight of the massive bruises that wrap around JJ's ribs. They're a deep shade of red, and John B can see how swollen they are without having to touch them. It looks painful as fuck.

"Hold this," he says, passing JJ the bunched up front of his shirt.

John B spends a few more seconds inspecting the wounds with his eyes before he raises his hands, holding the next to JJ's sides.

"I need to check if they're broken. I'm gonna touch you, that okay?" He asks.

JJ nods, slightly embarrassed that John B has to ask to touch him.

"Hey," John B says firmly, getting JJ to meet his eyes, "stop me if it's too much, okay?" 

"Okay," JJ responds.

John B rests his fingers at the top of JJ's ribcage with a feather-light touch. He feels the ribs expand slightly as JJ draws a shallow breath. 

John B gently presses his fingers on the bone, slowly increasing the pressure. He hears JJ choke on a whimper, and he stops pressing, going back to the feather-light touch. 

He moves his fingers down to the next rib and repeats the process. JJ barely holds back a cry, clutching his shirt with white knuckles.

"Doing great, buddy," John B murmurs encouragingly before moving to the next rib.

He continues down JJ's torso until he's checked every rib. JJ breathes a sigh of relief after John B finishes.

"Nothing's broken, that's good," he informs. "I think you cracked a few of 'em though, so...I don't think it's safe to wrap it."

JJ lets his eyes slip shut, exhausted.

"We should wait to ice your ribs, you still haven't gotten to a good body temperature," John B says, taking JJ's empty cup. "Same for your leg." 

"Think my knee's j-just sprained," JJ slurs. He looks at John B through half-lidded eyes.

Immediately, John B's expression morphs into concern. "Did you hit your head at all?" 

JJ, being unusually quiet, shakes his head 'no'. 

John B narrows his eyes, "You okay if I check?" 

JJ shrugs, which John B takes as a yes. He stands over JJ and gently runs his fingers through the soft still-damp hair, praying he won't find a hidden goose egg or dried blood.

JJ practicality _melts_ into the touch. He instantly relaxes, the tension slipping from his shoulders. His eyes slide shut as he enjoys the comfort of John B carding through his hair. 

It's over far too quickly. John B pulls back, still confused.

"There's no bump," he says, still suspicious. "You haven't taken anything, right?" 

JJ shakes his head.

It's a very rare thing for JJ to be this subdued, especially without anything in his system. John B thought for sure he'd find a head wound.

JJ's eyes are glassy and unfocused when he whispers, "'M tired."

Oh. John B supposes that makes sense. After all, it is kind of late, and pain can make people drowsy. He can't really think of a reason why he shouldn't let JJ clock out for a few hours.

"I guess a nap might help you warm up," John B gives in, "but you're not sleeping on the couch." 

John B wraps his arm under JJ's and around his back, pulling him to his feet. He's surprised to find that JJ is still shivering, and even more surprised at how out of it he seems to be. John B didn't realize how exhausted his friend is until JJ's head rolls against his shoulder as the walk.

They walk together, slow and controlled, to John B's bed, where he helps JJ sit down.

"Easy, bro, easy," John B mumbles. JJ already has his eyes closed when John B drapes the blanket over his friend's worn out frame.

He's about to leave the room, probably go cook something warm, when JJ grabs his arm, pulling him back. 

John B sighs softly before climbing under the blanket and situating himself next to JJ. 

The two boys have been best friends since the third grade. They grew up sharing couchs and sleeping on each other; sharing a bed isn't anything new.

John B knows JJ has always had a thing with physical touch, no doubt a mark left by his asshole of a father. He doesn't know exactly why, but he's the only person that JJ consciously seeks physical contact from. JJ doesn't have a problem with their friends, but it's rare for him to let Kiara touch him, and Pope only has that privilege sometimes. It's...kind of endearing, the level of trust JJ invests in him.

Regardless, on nights like these, John B knows to wait for JJ to come to him. 

So, after a few moments of lying next to each other, JJ shuffles closer. He tucks himself into John B's side and lays his head on his friend's shoulder. It's comforting and doesn't put strain on any of his injuries. 

Holed up next to his best friend, JJ finally allows himself to fall into a peaceful sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!
> 
> Stay safe :)


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